This wonderful wood turning video is an amazing example of an incredibly talented man making something very, very difficult look insanely easy. Marvel at how a single woodworker turns a tree into a beautiful lampshade.

This video was posted by Sören Berger as an example of his work. My favorite part is where he positions a light next to the stump so he can turn it to exactly the right thickness. That's what you get from spending three and a half decades in the business, I guess. From his website:

Modern woodturning has some new materials and technologies which make the processes quicker and more pleasant. But when it comes to the way to get the best results from our tools and raw material then there are very few skills and disciplines that have not already been developed by the masters of many cultures hundreds of years ago.

My interest over the last eight years has been focused on teaching wood turners to understand in detail the actual turning process. This develops the ability to make sensitive and beautiful objects.

Maybe one of the most wasteful products I've ever seen made. Maybe one of the most beautiful, too. [Sören Berger via Core77]